


Under The stars

by Kisa_Sumino



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Also some yusuke/hifumi, F/F, M/M, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS, also a bunch of other people i don't feel like tagging, also haru/makoto here and there, ann/shiho if you squint, is it gonna be sad?, maybe who's to say, so prepare yourself, there's also some ryuji/yuuki goin on in the back ground
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-09 00:23:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16439654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kisa_Sumino/pseuds/Kisa_Sumino
Summary: They called it the ship of dreams. Many were excited to board the ship but Goro wasn't all too thrilled about the death trap. Akira, the charming commoner, just wants a better life so he and his hot-headed friend escape their old lives and find refuge elsewhere.Titanic AU anyone?This won't be pretty...





	1. Chapter 1

**Time: 10:00**

 

The morning was filled with the scent of earl grey tea and scones. Grabbing the butter knife with one hand and the scone with the other, Goro spread an even layer of jam across the small baked good. Satisfied with his work, he took small bites until the scone was gone. The newspaper spread out across his lap as he enjoyed his breakfast. The newspapers have been reporting nothing but the newly built ship. It was simply called "The Ark." Goro couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he found the name quite boring and unappealing. The ship of dreams the creators called it. Built with the strongest metals and can travel faster than any ship. 

"So it claims..." Goro scoffs.

His eyes scan over the article once more to see his dear father name plastered everywhere along with other men who had a hand in funding this project. He grimaced at the picture of his father and the other men beside him. He didn't have the best relationships with his father but being the only son out of the 5 women the man impregnated, he was chosen as his successor. He had sisters he never knew about and would most likely never meet.

A knock on the door brings him back to reality. "Coming in." A voice said behind the door.

Goro just glanced at the door to see the timid boy enter his room. The short-haired boy smiled at him as he strolled across the room."Mr. Shido wanted to know if you're ready for the departure."

"Tell him he can leave without me." Goro answered as he went back to pick up another scone.

"Now, Goro..." The boy let out a weak laugh. 

"Yuuki," Goro looked up at the boy. "I don't want to go."

Goro had stated many times that he will not board that ship but his father had the last say. He hated how the man controlled almost everything about him. What clothes to wear. What to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He even went out of his way to find him a "suitable wife."

"I think you're the only person who doesn't want to get on the ship of dreams." Yuuki says as he starts packing Goro's things. 

Goro watched as his butler packed his necessities into his luggage. The boy was not only his butler but the only other person he called his friend. At first, he hated the idea of someone following him but he grew to care for the timid boy as he was constantly harassed by others. You could almost say he trusted him with his life.

The male let out an annoyed sigh as he threw the newspaper onto the table. "You don't have to pack my things for me." He says as he joined the boy.

"It is my job to do this for you." Yuuki smiles as the male.

It only took an hour but they managed to pack everything Goro wanted to take on the trip. Yuuki only had a simple suitcase to bring along on the voyage. Goro didn't want to force the boy to go with him on the ship but Yuuki insisted on joining him.

"You might get lonely." Yuuki teased.

Goro punched the male lightly on the shoulder as they walked down the stairs. The other servants took their bags to the car so they just needed to wait for the next orders. Goro frowned as he saw his father, Masayoshi Shido, talking to some man by the entrance.

"Mr. Okumura," Shido held out his hand to the man. "I take it that you're all ready for the departure as well?"

Kunikazu Okumura was a close "friend" of his father. He was the owner of many successful restaurants around the world. He helped fund the ship as well as to bring the most experienced chefs he knew on board. He never knew how his father had so many connections. His father was just some businessman who wormed his way to the top.

The man took his hand and gave a firm shake. "Of course! My daughter is thrilled to hear that your son will also be joining you." The man says as he laughed.

"You could say the same about my son." The man chuckled.

Goro, on the other hand, was not too thrilled to hear the conversation. Not once had he shown any interest about the ship or the man's daughter. Haru Okumura was indeed a beautiful young lady but he had no interest in her as his partner. He didn't want to hear their boring adult conversations so he sneaked into the kitchen before he gets roped in.

"My, to think Lady Okumura would be joining as well." Yuuki mumbles.

"Not like she had a choice..." Goro commented. 

Goro continues to walk out the back door of the kitchen. He walked by the blushing maids who happily greeted him. He smiled at the maids as he walked by to reach the garden he took pride in. The rose garden he took the time to care for every day. The flowers his mother loved very much.

"Is this the reason you don't want to leave?" Yuuki asks hesitantly. He glanced over to the male who hadn't said a word. He simply knelt down as the tips of his fingers gently brushed against the petals. 

"I trust the maids will take good care of my garden?" Asks Goro as looks out to his garden.

"I wrote down a detailed guide." Yuuki puffed up his chest confidently. "I'm sure they'll remain just as beautiful when we return."

"Right..." The male looked up to the bright morning sky. Goro turned as he heard loud footsteps coming towards their direction. It was Shido and he had a stern look on his face

"Father." The male greeted.

"I take it you're all packed." He glanced over to Yuuki who looked nervous just from a simple stare from the man. "Mishima?"

"Yes sir," the boy squeaked. "I've arranged everything to be packed into the car just an hour ago."

"Good." The man's eyes went down to see his son not paying attention to his words. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Enough wasting time with this silly hobby of yours." He didn't catch the glare from his son as he turned to walk back into the mansion. "We're leaving soon."

Goro huffed but followed his father back inside. Through the hallways and back into the clean parlor. The man sat down on his favorite armchair as he pulled out a cigar. The male stood by the entryway with his butler at his side. His arms crossed in frustration but he knew he couldn't get out of this. He took notice of his son's actions and huffed.

"Please behave yourself when we board the ship." He didn't even look over to his son. "I don't need you to embarrass me."

The male simply giggled. "This could be all avoidable you know." He glared at the man who still hasn't looked his way.

"Again with your nonsense." The man blew a puff of smoke before continuing. "I swear, you're becoming just as rebellious like your mother."

Goro clenched his fists. His knuckles whitening as he was shaking. Yuuki grabbed the male's shoulder to pull him out of the room. "We'll be waiting in the car." He announced as he pulled the fuming Goro out of the room.

They were quiet as they walked out of the front entrance. There were 3 cars in total that carried everyone's belongings as well as important documents. The car with Goro's and Yuuki's things was the last one at the end.

"Please," he says as he holds the door open. He noticed that Goro was still shaking. From anger or the cold who could say. "I'll go fetch your coat."

Goro said nothing as he hopped in the car. Yuuki closed the door and scurried back inside to fetch his coat like he said he would. The male sighed as he rested his chin on his hand. He fished out his golden pocket watch that read 11:17. He'll be leaving soon. Leaving the home he grew up in. Leaving his precious rose garden he and his mother worked on together.

"What a waste of time." The male spat.

 

**~*~  
Time: 11:20**

 

The air was filled with smoke and alcohol as the bar was filled with many happy patrons. Akira taking a nice sip of his free water glass since he couldn't afford much else. The blond next to him blew a puff of smoke into the air in frustration. He shoved the bud on the cigarette onto the ash try along with his other 2 he smoked. He grumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck, his set didn't look too promising. He glanced over to his friend but he remained expressionless. 

The blond stared at the men just across the table who seem to be immersed in their own conversation. It was supposed to be a "friendly" card game but one thing led to another and they ended up betting on everything they had. Not that they really had much to begin with but once Akira saw those tickets, he just had to get his hands on those.

"Bro..." Ryuji whispered over to him. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Just trust me." The male answered back. His gaze slowly moves over to the clear wide glass window. Just on the other side was the ship of dreams. All his problems could be fixed if he could just get on that vessel. He knew Ryuji had nothing to lose either. His mother passed away a year ago so nothing was holding him back. His eyes then land on to the copper watch ticking away. It was time. "Alright gentlemen," Akira smirked. "Lives are about to change today. Ryuji?"

The blond threw his cards facing down on the table and sighed. "I got nothin'."

"Okay, Nakaoka?" He gestured to him.

The dark-haired fellow did the same as Ryuji. 

"Nothing. Takeishi?" The frizzy-haired male looked over to the other player.

The light haired male couldn't suppress his smile anymore as he flashed his cards. It was a full house and his friend beside him almost shot up from his seat.

"Oh boy..." Akira mumble. A look of fear appeared on his face. "Shit..."

"Akira what the fuck!?" The blond shouted. "Nah man-" He was about to spill every profanity he knew but his friend held up his hand. 

"That is a good hand." He says as he watched the two celebrate across from him. "You know what else is a good hand?" Gracefully, he set his hand down on the table. "A royal flush."

The table went quiet. Ryuji lips twitched and formed a wide grin. "Akira!!" This time the blond lunched out of his seat as he wrapped his arm around his friend. "Hell yeah, I'm getting out of this hell hole!"

"Fucking-" The two turned to see the men red-faced and their fists up ready to fight. "This is all your fault!" The dark-haired male shouted as his friend. He swung at his friend who in return swung back. Akira took that as a sign to escape.

"Come on, let's go!" Akira shouted over their loud bickering. "The ship is leaving soon!"

With that, Akira snatched the third class tickets from the table while Ryuji shoved all the money they bet on into a clothed bag as they scurried out of the bar. There was already a large gathering since the early morning with many families and friends waving goodbye to their loved ones. The rich already boarding the ship while the poor stood in line to go through inspection. 

Akira did not want to go through all that so he and the blond made their way past the long lines and to the railing. He ran up the thin bridge as he practically slammed the tickets onto the table. The receptionist gasped as she saw the panting men.

"H-Hello," she greeted. "Have you two gone through the inspection?"

"Of course," Akira smirked. He rested his arm onto the table and leaned in. "Want to take a closer look?" He winked.

The women stammered a bit as she took the tickets. She bid them a safe voyage and the two ran past other passengers. They carried their large sacks out onto the deck to get the view of the place they were leaving behind for good.

"Goodbye shit hole!!" Ryuji shouted at the top of his lungs. He waved his arm in the air without a care in the world.

Akira used both of his arms to wave at the city he called home. "We're never coming back!" He shouted.

  
**Time: 11:45**

Many other passengers were still arriving to board the massive vessel. The large cars maneuvered through the hoards of strangers and parked near an entryway. Coming in fashionably late, Goro exited his car with his coat in hand. His tan felt derby providing some shade. His eyes widen as he comes face to face with the large ship.

"Whoa..." He said under his breath. Even he could admit how amazing it looked. 

"Simply magnificent!" Yuuki says with a bit of excitement in his voice. 

Goro nodded in agreement. He looked over to his father who was already ordering men to take their pieces of luggage to their rooms. The man looks over to his son and jerks his head as a signal to follow them. He sighed and pressed on with Yuuki at his side holding his important items.

The maids and other staff bid them a safe voyage across the sea. His father was already inside the ship but Goro took the time to hug and shake the hands of his staff. Thanking them all for their hard work and to please keep his garden safe. Yuuki warned the male that the ship will be leaving soon. The two walked behind another group of rich old farts as they entered the ship. His father hadn't noticed his son lagging behind since he was already talking to other businessmen. One of the men noticed Goro standing right next to him.

"Who is this nice young man?" The small pudgy man asked.

The man quickly glanced down. "Oh, This is my son Goro Shido." 

"Nice to meet you, young man." The man stretched out his hand.

"Likewise."

"Welcome aboard Mr. Shido." An unfamiliar man said as he approached his father. "Please this way."

The three followed the man to what seem to be their rooms for the voyage. The man tells them if they needed anything to come to him. Shido had some business to attend to so he ordered his staff to deal with the unpacking. Goro helped out with his own unpacking since he wanted his little private library to be on display. He couldn't wait to just lock himself away in his room and go through the volumes he purchased a couple of days ago.

"Goro," The timid butler came in carrying two large suitcases. "I believe these are your clothes. I still have three more bags to bring in."

"Alright," the male nodded. "Here I'll take these to my room. Once you're done, go take a break."

"But-" The boy stammered a bit.

"I can manage on my own." The smile slowly disappeared from his face. "Besides, I have lunch with the Okumura family in a bit."

"I see..." The boy sighed. "You want to tell Mr. Shido you don't feel well?"

"No, I'll attend." Goro clicked his tongue. "I gotta be a "good boy" remember?"

The two couldn't help but share a laugh. Just as he said, Yuuki brought the last pieces of luggage to his room including his own. He helped dig into Goro's suitcases for an outfit to wear for his lunch date. Although he hated that term, that's what it was. Their fathers have been forcing Goro and Haru to spend time together. They're engaged after all. Their wedding was on the after they arrived to land.

He felt bad for the two who were forced into this arranged marriage set up by selfish men. Goro obviously displeased with this announcement but remained powerless against his father. He remembered how depressed his young master was. It was a dark time but he needed to please his father. Shido needed this connection and he was willing to sacrifice his son for it.

He looked over at the male who was busy looking in the mirror. Although he was smiling, his eyes didn't have any once of happiness. He walked over to his butler and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Be back in my room before dark." He tells his butler before heading off to the dining room.

"Yes, sir." He bows slightly and straightened back to his normal posture. The male dressed in a white dress shirt. A striped black and white tie with a tan vest over. Black trousers held by striped suspenders. Slowly he was merging in the sea of first-class passengers.

"Good luck." The young man whispered

The ship was indeed called the ship of dreams to some but to Goro, it was just a floating prison. Nowhere to escape or hide. No one to lend a helping hand to a crying child. Goro hated everything about his world but he was trapped. He hated the fake smiles and inconsiderate people who called themselves first class passengers. He finally approached the glass door with a nicely dressed man waiting by the door. The man greeted him while he opened the door. Goro smiled back as he walked past tables filled with women and men gossiping about the latest news. Just ahead he could see a familiar figure with her back facing him. Her short curly light auburn hair with a peach color Edwardian picture hat resting on top. Her blue fur coat was draped over her shoulders,

He swallowed the lump in his throat and proceeded. 

"Good afternoon Haru."


	2. A sight to see

If Haru Okumura could describe her life, she would pick words unfitting for a Lady such as herself. Elegant tea parties and boring gossip among young women her age was her daily routine. It was suffocating. Now she was on The Ark with no way to escape. Nothing but open water for miles

Her life already planned out for her by the greedy adults after their own goals in life. She was a chess piece in her father's eyes. Like Goro, she didn't want to board the ship but she couldn't disobey her father. Not like she could have a say in it since her father ordered the maids to pack up everything she would need for the voyage.

She remembered how distraught she felt as walked up to the walkway into the ship. She knew her fate was sealed the minute she stepped one foot into that ship. They departed from Inaba and it'll take 1 month weeks to reach Yongen-Jaya. One month trapped in this large floating prison.

There she sat in front of her vanity as she slowly brushed her hair. Morgana brushed himself against her legs as he meowed to get her attention. She wanted to cuddle her little kitty but she couldn't get cat hair on her since she'll be going out in a bit.

The maid behind her picking out her outfit to wear for the day. A simple white gown with a blue fur coat to complete the outfit. With a sigh, Haru stood up from her stool and walked over to her maid. Slowly slipping out of her gown to be helped into the other. The maid working as quickly as she could to fasten the gown from behind. Grabbing the fur coat as she draped it around Haru's slender shoulders. Haru grabbed her favorite peach color Edwardian picture hat to complete the look. It was a special gift from Goro.

"Lady Haru," A maid held out her white laced parasol. "You must get going. You have lunch with the Shido family."

"Right." She mumbles.

Her father was waiting for her just outside her room. He had a dissatisfied look on his face as she appeared before him. He took another look at his golden pocket watch before walking off. Haru opened up her parasol to shield her skin from the sun. 

"Make sure to not disappoint me." Mr. Okumura says as they reached the glass door. The man held open the door with the smile as the two made their way in. Sitting at an empty table reserved for them. Her father pulled out her chair as she closed her parasol.

"Yes, father." She responds in a respectful tone.

She had nothing else to prove to him yet her father keeps bringing her down. She accepted to be Goro's wife but it still wasn't good enough in her father's eyes. She listened to everything her father said because she's a good girl. Good girls always do what they're told. 

"Mr. Shido!" Her father stood up and offered his hand. Haru glanced around to only see the bald man alone as he shared greetings with her father. 

"Haru." The man smiled at her as a greeting. "My son will be joining us shortly." The man says as he takes his seat. "He insists on unpacking his books." The man shakes his head and sighs.

"It's alright." She responds. She knew Goro loved reading his mystery novels. She would remember how Goro would talk about his books during their piano lessons. He always did have a knack for those kinds of things. He wanted to be a detective when he got older but his father had other ideas for him. 

"You're so understanding Haru." The bald man laughed. "My son doesn't deserve a good girl such as yourself."

 _Then why did you force us to get engaged?_ Is what she wanted to say but held her tongue and smiled. She had her own reason to accept his marriage proposal but no one can never know. She knew something about Goro that not even his father nor the butler he trusted knows about. A secret that could destroy their lives if their father's found out. 

"Your wedding is in a couple of weeks. How time flies." The man continued.

"I've already found the perfect dress for Haru." Her father responded. "Her mother wore a similar dress."

Yes, her father picked out _everything_ for her wedding. Like he's always done with everything else in her whole life. She was trapped in an endless cycle with no way out. She could already see her future before her. When will she be able to make her own decisions? When will her voice be heard?

"Good afternoon Haru."

Haru gasped as she looked up and smile at the male. "Good afternoon Goro."

The male sat beside his fiancée as he greeted the men at the table. They gave a quick nod as they went back to their conversations. Goro didn't really expect much of a welcoming but he was glad Haru was there with him. The two talked about the weather and anything else that came to their mind that was appropriate. They only spoke their minds when they were alone.

Finally, it was time to head back to their rooms. They still had so much to unpack and Goro still needed to set up his bookshelf. Haru still had some dress she needed to hang up. As they were walking their separate ways, Haru tugged on the Goro's sleeve.

"Let's go for a walk around the ship tomorrow." Haru suggested.

"That's a lovely Idea." Goro smiled at his fiancée. "How about after lunch?"

"After lunch it is." The young lady says cheerfully.

 

~*~

 

The ship was huge and Ryuji wanted to explore every bit of it! Akira wanted to relax in his cramped room even with the loud vibrations of the engines heard through the walls but maybe some fresh air wouldn't hurt. Every other passenger seems to have the same idea as he saw many third-class passengers walk around the maze of hallways. Finally reaching the cramped elevator to reach the deck above. 

"Holy shit!" Ryuji used his hand to shield himself from the sun. He whistled as he saw the view before him. He wasn't very knowledgeable about ships but he was impressed nonetheless. The two made their way down the steps to reach the deck only the third-class passengers were allowed to lounge around. Folding his arms behind his head, Akira strolled along as he followed just behind Ryuji. 

"I still can't believe you won us these tickets." Ryuji chuckles.

"I told you to have faith in me." The male teases. Akira was truly lucky to be able to win these tickets. He heard about the new job opportunities in the new city had to offer. He had his own goals in mind and for that, he had to go somewhere new to start over. Maybe find himself a cute lover and settle down.

"Coming through!" A high pitched voice called out.

"Lady Ann!" Another voiced called out. "Please be careful!"

Akira jumped back as Ryuji lunged forward. They both looked to see a young woman walking around with a box full of fabrics. The taller young women wore a ruby red dress with roses attached along her waist. She wore black heeled boots that were covered by the large frills of her dress. Ryuji almost mistook her large bushy pigtails for her hat. The girl beside her wore a simple beige gown with brown boots. A big bow placed in front of her chest.

"Oh dear," The young lady sighs. "I can't find Yusuke anywhere."

"Umm?" Ryuji eyed the two females before him. "You ladies need help with somethin'?" They were definitely first-class passengers. "What are you ladies doing on this side of the ship anyway?" 

The blue-eyed female turn to look at Akira and Ryuji. "Oh, where are my manners." She adjusted her position as she cradled the box of fabrics. "I didn't mean to bump into you two."

"Here allow me." The other young lady says as she holds out her arms. "I'll carry the box."

"Nonsense Shiho." The women had a tighter grip on the box. "I can carry these on my own." She huffed. 

"What if you bump into someone else?" The timid girl asked nervously.

"Well then they'll just have to get out of my way, won't they?" Ann grinned at the girl. Her attention turns back to the young men before her. "Again I do apologize but I'm in a bit in a hurry. If you see a young man with blue hair and is always carrying a sketch pad, do please tell him that I, Ann, is looking for him." With that, she continued on her path to search for someone called "Yusuke." The girl beside her scurrying just behind her. 

The two take a minute to watch them head back to their side of the ship. Akira looked over to Ryuji who had a silly grin on his face. "Daaaaamnnnn..." Ryuji whispered as he watched the ladies disappear. "Those first-class gals are somethin', huh Akira?"

"If you say so." The male shrugged and kept on walking. 

"C'mon, let's go help them out." Ryuji grinned.

"Okay that's enough out of-" Akira was about to smack the blond on the head when something caught his eye. There off in the distance, there was a man sitting on a bench near the railing down by the deck. His blue hair falling forward slightly as he was busy moving his hand along something.

"What are you..." Ryuji squinted his eyes to see what Akira was looking at when it hit him. "Is that...?" He says as he pointed at the male.

"One way to find out." Akira says as he makes his way over to the stranger. As they got closer, they noticed that he was actually sketching something. They peered over his shoulder to see what the man was drawing so intently. It was a man who was sitting next to what he presumed was his daughter. He glanced up to see the same man and his daughter just across the deck. His work was unbelievable as he captured even the littlest details such as her round glasses to the man's outfit and the pattern.

"Um, excuse me?" Ryuji cleared his throat but got no response. He looked over to Akira who simply shrugged. The male too focused on his work to notice anything around him. The blond sighed as he resorted to tapping on the man's shoulder to catch his attention.

"Hm?" The man finally looked up as he turns to face the person who tapped him. "Yes, what is it?"

The two were at a loss for words. His silky smooth voice sent a shiver up their spine as they looked with into his soft gray eyes. He wore a midnight blue suit with black laced up boots. His black bowler hat sitting right next to him along with a pouch. The two blushed as they didn't know what else to say to the man.

"Are you Yusuke?" Akira finally asks.

"Yes." He responds. The man tilted his head in confusion as he waited for the two to say something.

"So-Someone is looking for you." Ryuji stuttered as he jerked his thumb behind him. "Ann, was it?"

"Y-Yeah," Akira says as he kept looking at his sketch. "That's nice by the way." He says as he gestured at his drawing.

"Thank you." The man says as he holds up the sketchbook.

"You a famous artist or somethin'?" Ryuji asks as he hops over to sit next to the guy.

"Something like that." The male says as he closes his sketchbook. 

"You're done sketching?" Akira asks as he leans on the railing.

"I'm done for today since my concentration was broken." He says as he packs up his materials.

"Oh, my bad..." Ryuji mumbles.

"No, you're alright." He says leans back onto the wall. "You said Ann was looking for me?"

"Your wife?" Ryuji asks.

"Heavens, no." The man chuckled. "She's a tailor I've hired to make a dress for my lovely wife."

"Ohh...well what brings you on this side of the ship?" Ryuji asks as he pulls out a smoke. He offered one to Akira who happily accepts it. He offers one to Yusuke who declines politely.

"No thank you, My wife isn't fond of smoking." His gaze shifts to the people who cluttered the deck in groups. "To answer your question, I'm people watching. I find it boring sitting around to drink tea all day so I came out here."

"Oh yeah?" Akira says as he watches the man and girl from before huddled together. The man held out a book and was reading to the girl who was holding onto a cup that was steaming.

"I guess you could say I came out here to find some inspiration." He looked over to the strangers. "My name is Yusuke Kitagawa." The man holds out his hand. 

"Akira Kurusu."  
"Ryuji Sakamoto."

They both shook his hand and found it surprising how soft it was compared to theirs. The artist asked the two what brings them on this amazing ship. Akira explained he just wanted to start over in a new place. Ryuji simply wanted to find himself a cute wife and settle down. They heard about the gold mines and other well-paying jobs that they couldn't pass it up. They asked the man the same question and he gave a simple answer. His wife is a famous shoji player and she had a tournament in the new city. He was contacted by a man who was interested in looking at his paintings that he had stored in his room.

"Well," He says as he pulls out his gold pocket watch. "I must get going. You said Ann was looking for me? I shouldn't keep her waiting." He extends his hand once more to them. "It was nice meeting you both. I hope fate allows us to meet again."

"See ya man." The blond says.

The artist proceeded to walk away with both males watching in awe. Normally men of his class wouldn't bat an eye at them yet this guy spoke to them normally. He was very polite and even wanted to know more about them.

"He's a strange one." Akiras says after he chucks the cigarette bud over his shoulder.

Akira had enough exploring for one day so he ate what he could afford and went to the cabin that he shared Ryuji. Along with a man and his shy son who's name was Kaoru. The man was scary lookin' when they first introduced themselves but Akira managed to get on his good side when he and Ryuji helped his son back to the cabin they shared on their way back from lunch.

The boy sat crouched on the ground by the elevator when Ryuji noticed him. They asked him what he was doing and he responded saying that his father went to work below the ship and followed him up to the deck. He explored what he could and wanted to get back before he got in trouble. He couldn't remember the room number so he thought he'd wait for his dad. Luckily Ryuji and Akira recognized him and were kind enough to escort them back. 

His father caught the two talking to his son and was a little skeptical. His son explained the situation and he thanked the boys. He also thanked them for spending time with his son since he had work. His wife left them when he was young and it's just been them ever since. He wanted to give his son a better life in the new city. The four enjoyed a leisure conversation until it got dark.

 

The first day on The Ark was hectic but it was smooth sailing from that moment onward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter!  
> So here's the ages we're working with:  
> Goro: 20 Akira: 21 Ryuji: 21 Yuuki: 19 Yusuke: 22  
> Haru: 19 Ann: 20 Shiho: 20
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Any mistakes will be fixed on a later day!


	3. A walk to remember

\- Room P 5 -

Goro sat by his small dining table in his room with a book already in his hand. He didn't really get much sleep so he decided he get out of bed at 5 in the morning. Reading his book as he waited for his breakfast to arrive. Time really did fly as he was just consumed in his book. Not realizing the soft knocking at his door.

"Good morning Goro!" The butler says as the wheels in the cart. "Breakfast for today is a ham and cheese omelet, grilled sausages, with a side of scones. Today's tea is Ceylon Tea." He wheeled his breakfast over as he set the table for him. 

"Oh Yuuki," The male closed the book and set it aside. "Good morning."

"Already diving into those books I see." Yuuki chuckles as he pours his tea. 

"Yes well," The male brought the tea up to his mouth a took a small sip. The tea a still a bit too hot but tasted delicious. "I couldn't get much sleep."

"Oh dear, should I cancel your lunch plans?" The boy says as he finishes setting up.

"No, I'll be fine." He says as he grabbed the knife and fork. Gently gliding the knife to cut off a small piece of the edge of his omelet. "As long as I don't have any other plans later."

"Just dinner with your father I believe." Yuuki says as he thinks carefully.

"Terrific." Goro groans. "Must he include in every little thing?"

Yuuki sighed as he sat across Goro. He brought his own breakfast to enjoy as well. A plate of eggs and sausages on the side. Orange juice was his choice of beverage.  

"Will you remain here until lunch?" Yuuki asks.

"Yes unless I'm dragged out by my father." He says not batting an eye. He really wanted to finish the novel he was reading before heading out. It was very interesting as it took place in a faraway land where strange murders occurred only on foggy nights. 

 

\- Room P 4 -

Haru herself was enjoying her morning tea prepared by her maid. She finished her breakfast of a salad with a side of her favorite fruit. Morgana rested on her lap as she gently stroked his back. The cat meowed in delight. He had her own private promenade deck all to herself. 

She was excited that she got to spend some time with Goro and to catch up on their gossip. She had so much to say and if he had time, she wanted to introduce him to her Morgana.

Haru spent yesterday evening setting up her room to be much more comfortable for the voyage. Her favorite dress was finally hung in the closet along with her other belongings. She requested flowers to be displayed around her room to give it more life.

 

 

 - Steerage -

Ryuji was the last to wake since everyone in the room went out to get their breakfast. He cursed himself as he got himself presentable as he rushed out of the room. He remembered something about breakfast being served at the saloon.

The room was packed and he swore under his breath as he couldn't find his friend who left him behind. The saloon was lively as many people made their ways around the small room. Many who couldn't find a seat took their breakfast outside in the cold open air. He didn't even know where the line started as he saw so many people just standing around. It wasn't until he saw a pair of arms waving in the air just across the saloon. He recognized those skinny arms anywhere.

"Hey, kiddo!" Ryuji says as he ruffles Kaoru's hair. 

"Morning!" He responds as he scooted over to make room for the blond.

"And you!" He says as he glares at Akira. "Why didn't-" He stopped mid-sentence as a plate of curry and rice was slid towards him.

"Enjoy~" The male smirked. He managed to convince the chef to give him another plate for his friend who was late. He was a little suspicious but gave it to him anyway to keep the line moving. 

"Dude..." The blond grin as he plopped down next to his friend. "You're a life saver!" His breakfast was still warm as he took large bites of it. It tasted absolutely delicious. 

"So, what are you guys gonna do today?" The boy asks. The boy pushed up the tattered brown cap that was a bit too big for him.  

"Probably head up to the deck." The blond shrugged. "There's really not to do around here for us third-class folks."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Akira says after taking a big gulp of water. "Why don't you come and join us?"

"Can I!?" Kaoru's face lit up.

"Your dad says it's fine to hang around us as long as you don't get into trouble." The frizzy-haired male pointed out. "Also to be back before your bedtime."

"Okay, I'll go!" The boy then scarfs down the rest of his breakfast.

 

**~*~**

\- Dining area -

They thought lunch was just going to be the four of them but it seems that others would be joining as well. Toranosuke Yoshida, the shipbuilder, was also joining them for lunch. Along with Junya Kaneshiro, the man that made this incredible ship possible was also attending. 

He told Yuuki he could do whatever he liked for the time being. He remembered the boy saying something about bumping into a famous artist he was quite fond of that was on the ship. He hoped to meet him once more and talk to him. Before he ran off, he helped put on his lunch attire for the day. Black trousers accompanied by a white button-up shirt and his black jacket. 

Goro sat across from Haru as they both listened to their father's boring business conversations. Mainly about the creation of the ship and whatnot. The ignored the conversation as Goro helped himself to some pastries that were displayed on the table while Haru continued to sip her tea.

"It was thanks to Mr. Kaneshiro that I was given the funds that allow me to create this masterpiece." The man says.

The short man says as he sips his wine. "The was all Mr. Shido's Idea."

Goro wanted to roll his eyes but resisted. The same mindless chatter every single day was torture. Do these men truly have nothing more to talk about instead of this blasted ship?

Haru could feel her eyelids closing as she grew bored of this meeting. Her food nor Goro's had arrived yet but she desperately wanted to get away. She looked at her fiancée but he was too absorbed with his pastry. She could help but smile at that. The room felt a bit stuffy with all these people crowding the small dining room. If she must, she will leave Goro behind to get some fresh air. Her meal hasn't arrived but maybe she can request it to be taken to her room. 

"Please excuse me," Haru pushed her chair back which caught Goro's attention. "I'm going to get some fresh air."

"I'll join you." Goro says immediately as he quickly gets up from his seat. He didn't need his father's glare to tell him to go and join her.

"Please send our lunch to our room." He tells one of the waiters. Which meal belonged to which room. He walked over to Haru who was already waiting outside on the walkway. She had her lace white parasol open as she faced away from him.

"Haru." He called out to her. He offered her his arm which she accepted. The two walked a little ways away when Goro sighed loudly. "Thank god."

Haru stifles her giggle behind her hand as she felt the same way. "I don't think I could stand another minute in that room."

"You and me both." The male says. "I wanted to cancel lunch but I couldn't just leave you with all those boring old men."

"My, what a gentleman." She teased.

The continued their leisure stroll around the ship. Their gossip only consisted of their ill talk of their fathers. They also gossiped about the other passengers they recognized on the ship. They heard Lady Mika was having an affair with a man on the ship while his husband stayed home to handle business. Passing many familiar faces such as Ann and her assistant Shiho. Haru was thrilled to see one of her favorite tailors was abroad on the ship. The two were talking to a young lady who was staring at two pieces of fabrics intently. Two long strands of her straight long hair fell over her shoulders. She wore a black derby hat with a red bow wrapped around it. She wore a royal blue gown with a black shawl draped around her.

"Ann, how are you?" Haru pulled Goro along to go greet the ladies.

"Haru how nice to see you!" The women stood up to give a quick hug to her friend.

"Miss Takamaki, it's nice to see you as well." The young man greeted.

"Come now, no need to be formal." The girl grinned. "I told you many times to call me Ann."

They shared a quick chat and even introducing her customer. Hifumi Kitagawa, the famous shoji player, needed a new dress for her upcoming tournament. As a surprise, her husband wanted to meet with Ann so she could tailor a beautiful garment for his beautiful wife. Hifumi just needed to pick how she wanted her dress to be made and Yusuke would take care of the rest.

Hifumi hid her blush behind her silk fan as she spoke about her husband. She praised the man about his amazing artwork and was proud to be his wife. Yusuke also spoils Hifumi quite a bit but he says that's just how he expresses his love to her. He loves to see his wife smile. That's why she was happy to hear that the popular and amazing tailor would be making her dress. Almost every woman knew about Ann's work and would always order from her. She had reservations already planned for the next 2 years. 

"Yusuke made his reservations months ago." Ann pointed out. He came to her many times to ask if she could make time to work on a dress for his lovely wife. He would pay her handsomely for all her hard work.

"I hope he didn't trouble you too much," Hifumi spoke. "He can't be a bit persistent."

"Not at all." Ann giggled. Though, she was upset she had to run around the ship to find him. That whole day could have been used to work on the dress! "Speaking of," Ann looked around which prompt everyone else to do the same. "Where is Yusuke?"

"Oh dear," Hifumi swiveled her head and sighed. "He was here just a moment ago."

"Well, we have to get going." Haru says as she hugged Goro's arm. "We'll keep an eye out for Mr. Kitagawa." 

 

 

Yusuke was sitting next to his wife as he held her royal blue parasol with small gold teardrops hanging space between the canopy of the fabric. He was there to help his wife chose the perfect design when his attention was caught by two passengers from below. A mother hugged her son who wore a maroon cap and was wearing a brown backpack. 

He felt something in his heart that he couldn't stop himself from walking away. His materials in hand as he walked down the steel steps. He walked over to the deck to see many passengers preoccupying the deck. Kids playing ball with many men and women enjoying a smoke as they talk among themselves. 

He finally found the two models he was looking for. The little boy was standing on the railings as his mother held on to him. The boy kept pointing at something off in the distance as his mother smiled at him as she spoke to him. The man was mesmerized with that sight before him.

Not wanting to waste any more time, he opened to a clean page of his sketchbook as got to work. He leaned against the railing to face the deck as he continued his work. Not realizing that 3 young men walked right up to him. He was too absorbed in his new creation that the three just sat around him. It took a minute as he finally looked up to see a familiar blond sitting just on the left of him.

"Oh," The man lowered the book to see Akira sitting on a wooden crate with another boy sitting next to him. Ryuji sitting on a wooden crate closest to him enjoying a smoke. "It's you two."

"Hey," Ryuji grinned. 

Akira waved as the boy next to him gave him a smile. Yusuke greeted them and continued back to his drawing but did talk to the men about trivial things. Akira asked more about Yusuke's drawings and if he really did many any money out of it. Yusuke nodded and said he makes quite a lot of money for his work. His former mentor, Natsuhiko Nakanohara, gave him all the connections he needed to make it in the world. Although he doesn't like the idea of art being used for profit, he's happy to see his money be used for good. He donates regularly at an orphanage he grew up in. That surprises the men as he didn't fit the image.

He explained that a man did indeed adopt him but wasn't treating him well. Soon after the man adopted another who was his former mentor. The disliked the man and the way they were treated that they ran away from home from a young age. With enough luck, they managed to get themselves back on their feet.

"I heard that he's on this ship as well but I haven't seen him." The man sighs.

"Forget that asshole!" Ryuji says. "You just do what you gotta do to survive. You have a wife you need to take care of right?"

Yusuke chuckles as he closed his sketchbook. "Yes, you're right." Just then he realized that he talked about his past to these strangers without knowing anything about them. "So what did you both do before coming onto this ship?"

"I worked in construction." Answered Ryuji.

"Interesting." The man leaned forward which made the blond gasp. "That explains your form." His hand glided over his bicep along his forearm. 

"H-Hey!" Ryuji snapped. A light shade of pink forming over his cheeks. 

"And you?" He says looking over to Akira.

"I..." His words died in his throat as he straightened his posture. Just past Yusuke on the upper deck, stood a figure. They had someone close next to them but he didn't pay too much attention to them. His eyes glued to that person's presence. Their slender fingers going through their wavy hair as they pushed it out of their eyes.

"Hello..?" Ryuji waved his hand in front of his eyes. He looked at Akira then to the direction he was facing. There, he saw two first-class passengers standing side by side. He saw the young lady with her short curly light auburn hair holding her white lace parasol. 

"Hm?" Yusuke followed their gazes as well to see the passengers. "Oh, that's Goro Shido and his fiancée Haru Okumura. He's the son of one of the creators of the ship."

Ryuji grinned as he nudged his friend who still hasn't said a word. "Man, there's no way you can get close to that gal."

"Hey big bro," Kaoru said as he shook his shoulder. "You okay?"

 

 

The large upper deck was filled with many passengers but they didn't mind as they walked over to the railing. Goro looked out to the wide open sea. The breeze blowing his hair in a wild manner that Haru couldn't help but giggle. She told him to wear his hat but he didn't listen. He released his grip on his fiancée as he used his arms to rest on the railing.

"Quite the view." He commented.

"Yes, it is." She replied as she twirled her parasol. Haru glanced at the male who hadn't stop sighing all day. She knew he was stressed about the wedding but what can she do to help? They both needed each other but for different reasons.

"Just another couple weeks until we reach land..." He says with a groan.

"Look on the bright side," Haru says as he places a hand on her hand. "At least we have each other."

Goro smiled at the girl. Other than his butler, Haru was another close friend of his. He really did love Haru but it wasn't the same how others interpret it. His gaze shifts down to the deck below to see the third-class passengers who seem to be enjoying themselves. 

They had nothing to worry about. No one to tell them what to do or where to go. They were free to be whatever they wanted. His head then turns to see a group of men sitting on the left side of the deck. That's when he met a pair of gray eyes. His black frizzy hair dancing with the wind as he sat still. He quickly shifts his gaze to elsewhere but his eyes kept wandering back to that stranger from below. Was he looking at him? No, impossible. Was he looking at his fiancée then? Maybe he was captivated by Haru's beauty. He turns to see Haru was looking away with her parasol shielding a part of her face. He felt a bit uneasy as he could still feel his stares. 

"Goro! Lady Haru!" A voiced shouted. Yuuki came from behind panting as he reached them.

"Yuuki," Goro thankful for his butler's interruption. "What is it?"

"You're both needed in the lounge. There's a meeting and you both must attend." 

Both Haru and Goro looked at each other and sighed. They nodded and followed his butler down the long promenade deck to the lounge. It seems the meeting had already started since several bottles of champagne were opened. The was going to be a long day and Goro was not looking forward to this.

Haru stood silently next to her fiancée refusing everyone who offered her a drink. She never did like drinking since she saw what it can do to a person. Her eyes then spotted a finely dressed women with long gray hair parted on her right side. She wore a black gown with a large black picture hat with lace as decoration. Next to her was a very beautiful young lady with brown hair in a bob cut. She wore a white blouse with a black vest. Her long black skirt covering her brown boots.

She recognized the taller women as the famous public prosecutor who's never lost a case. Was she an assistant? She tugged on Goro's sleeve to tell him where she was headed. The male did not want to be alone with these animals so he joined her once more. She could hear them discussing politics and other mature topics as she got closer. The girl beside her simply held her glass of wine as she listened in.

She wanted to introduce herself to her but she froze. She felt her heart beating fast and she couldn't think. Goro confused as to why they stopped in front of these ladies. He could feel Haru shaking next to him and asked if she was okay. Haru nodded her head and proceeded. The girl took notice of the two and smiled. Haru could feel her face heating up.

"Hello," Haru said as confidently as she could. "My name is Haru Okumura."

"The daughter of Kunikazu Okumura, yes?" The girl asked.

"Y-Yes that's me." She responded rather quickly.

"My name is Makoto Niijima. This is my sister, Sae Niijima" The girl says who gestured to her sister.

Haru wanted to say more.  She wanted to say anything but she quickly grabbed Goro's arms. "Well, if you'll excuse me!" She quickly dragged the man before he had a chance to introduce himself. Dragging him out of the lounge all the way to her suite. 

"What was that all about?" He asks as he sat on Haru's stool.

"What do you mean?" She says as she removes her hat and jewelry. This sort of behavior was very out of character for Haru. Sure she was a timid girl but she always did her best to greet others. Something about that girl made her feel something she's never felt before.

"You want to talk about it?" He asks hesitantly.

Haru didn't respond. Instead, she picked up her kitty and held him in her arms. Goro knew when to let the subject go. He spent the remainder of the day chatting with Haru and playing with her cat. Though, his mind kept going back to that stranger from before. To the man who was staring intently at him. He tries to convince himself it wasn't him he was looking at but somewhere in his heart, he knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! A new chapter~
> 
> I was this close to changing it to Yuskue/Ryuji Instead of Ryuji/Yuuki but this works just fine. I also made Yusuke rich because it was he deserves!


	4. Cold wind

**~ Morning ~**

 

It's been a couple of days since the voyage began. Everyone was finally settled in their rooms with their belongings. Like many passengers with nothing to do, Yusuke explored the first-class areas that were available to him. His lovely wife was accompanying other ladies for morning tea. 

He did not like the smell smoke so he hardly spent any time with the men on the ship. He also found their conversations rather useless. He'd rather use his time to paint or sketch for a new piece for his exhibit coming soon. His wife wasn't the only one who was well known for her talents.

Yusuke made a living by selling his exquisite paintings to the highest bidder. He loath the idea of selling his creations for money but he realized he could use his power for good. His most famous painting was of his beautiful wife. It was when he went to one of her competitions. He was mesmerized by her beauty as she played. 

Scarlet Red flower petals scattered across the hem of her black silk dress. He long black hair draped over her shoulders with her favorite red hairpiece neatly positioned on the right side of her head. The determined look never leaving her face as she played. At the moment he whipped out his sketchbook to capture her presence. Later to return to his studio to make it even better as he spent 4 days working on the canvas. He wanted to show her and only her to get her opinion on it. Couple conversations and dates later, they married sometime after.

Now, he needed a new idea but it seems nothing was coming to him. He had many sketches but none seem to catch his attention as he puts them on the canvas as his final project. He had less than two weeks and with only three paintings ready for display, he needed ideas fast.

He returned to the same spot he would always go to when he wanted to visit his newly made friends. He looked around to see the occasional kids playing while the adults talk among themselves. He found his usual spot to set up his station when something orange caught his attention. He looked up to see a small girl peeking just behind the wooden boxes. 

She gasped and jumped behind the crates when he noticed her spying on him. She peeked over again to see him opening his sketchbook. He looked up again to see her but she ducked away once more. She was fascinated by a man like him who was hanging around these parts of the ship. No one seemed bothered by his appearance and even had conversations with him. She was more intrigued by his drawings more than anything else.

She peeked once more to meet with his eyes. She was about to run off when the man called out to her. He leaned forward to see the man smiling at her and waving her over. She groaned as she knew she would be caught eventually. She shuffled over to him with her brown scarf pulled up halfway on her face. Her thick brown dress keeping her warm from the sea breeze. He round glasses rested on top of her reddened nose. 

"Hello." Yusuke says to the girl.

"Hi..." The girl mumbled. She stood with her hands behind her back, not wanting to look at the man who caught her. 

"My name is Yusuke Kitagawa." He gestures to her to sit. "What's yours?"

The girl froze as she realized she broke one of her father's rules. Never talk to strangers he would always say to her. She didn't want to be rude and run away from the nice man but she didn't want to also get in trouble. She looked at the man who was still waiting for a reply. She didn't get any bad vibes from him so she went on with her introduction.

"F-Futaba Sakura." She says as she takes a seat next to the men. "What are you doing?" She asks while peeking at his sketchbook.

"Just here to find any inspiration." He says as he looks out to the strangers before him. 

"Oh." She replies.

"What about you? Where's your mother?" He asks as he recalls seeing her many times with an older man.

"She died when I was little." The girl replies as she swings her legs off the ground.

"I'm sorry," Yusuke mentally scolded himself. "That was rude of me."

"It's okay, I still have my dad!" She turns to him with the biggest smile on her face. "He's a chef and cooks for everyone. He makes the best curry in the world!" She went on and on about her father and his amazing culinary skills. 

"I must try some for myself sometime," Yusuke says. His supplies set aside and forgotten as he continues the conversation with the girl. "Where is he now?" 

"He's still serving people. He promised me he would play with me when he was done but he's taking forever." She says with a pout.

"How about I keep you company until he gets here?" He suggested to which the girl's face lights up.

"Really!?" The girl jumped up from her spot. "What can we play?" 

"Well, what do you want to do?" He asks the girl who was bouncing around.

The girl looks over to his blank sketchbook and her smile faded. "You were gonna work on something. Am I bothering you?" She went back into her timid form.

"Not at all." He replies. "How about we draw together?" The man grabs his book and tears out a blank sheet and hands her a sharpened pencil. "I don't have a hard surface for you." He looks around but the girl excitedly places the paper one the carte she was sitting on.

"It's okay I can draw here!" She hums a tune as she looks down at the paper. So many ideas popped into her head. The surface wasn't the best but she did what she could as she made a circle. 

Yusuke watched as the girl continued to draw lines and circles. She was in her own little world as she let her hand glide across the paper. He could make out a face but that was it. He forgot about his own work since his attention was all on her. He rested his cheek onto his palm as he watched her. 

"See this is how my dad looks like!" She says as she holds up the paper with many scribbles on it. "And this is me." She points excitedly. "This is when we went fishing on my birthday!" There were two figures one bigger than the other as they both held fishing poles.

"I see." Yusuke eyes the picture carefully. 

"What did you draw?" She asks as she peeks once more.

"Oh, I haven't started." He realized that he used most of his time watching over her. 

"Can I see what you've drawn so far?" She says as she sits next to him once more. 

"Certainly." He grabs his sketchbook and opens to the beginning. Most of it consists of portraits of his wife Hifumi. She complimented on every sketch as she flipped each page carefully. She skimmed quickly over each sketch until she reached a certain page.

"That's..." He hand glided over the page. "That's me and my dad!" She held up the book as she looked at the sketch more intently. "This looks so cool!" She slouched over as she closed the book. "Way better than mine..." She mumbles as she picks up her drawing.

"Your sketch has character." The man tells her. "I've been doing this all my life. I practice every day to get where I am." He places a hand on top of her head. "I'm sure if you practice every day then you'll make something you're proud of." 

The girl's eyes were sparkling. "You think so?" She looked at her sketch once more. "I'll practice every day then!"

"Futaba?" A man's voice called off in the distance. 

The girl froze as she forgot about the rule. She turned to see her father walking around the deck searching for her. He caught sight of her and walked over to them. "There you are." The man chuckles. "I was looking all over for you."

"Sorry..." She mumbles. 

The man looks up to see Yusuke staring at them. "Were you with this man?" His voice had a hint of suspicion in it.

Yusuke quickly stood up and held out his hand. "Hello, My name is Yusuke Kitagawa."

"Sojiro Sakura." The man returned the gesture with a firm handshake. "I'm a chef here."

"So you're the famous chef I've heard about." Yusuke smiled at the man. "I was told you make the best curry in the world."

The man coughed as he tries to hide a laugh. "Nonsense."

"I hope to try it someday." Yusuke says.

"Well," The man gently strokes his daughter's head. "Thank you for keeping Futaba company. I've been so busy in the kitchen that I don't have much time to be with her."

"You're very welcome." He replies. "It was nice meeting you Futaba."

The girl clutched to her father as she mumbled a polite response back. The men chuckle as they bid their farewells. The man takes his daughter by her hand and leads her off somewhere. Yusuke gathered his material as he makes his way to his room. He enters to see his lovely wife playing a round of shoji by herself. 

"Welcome back, darling." Hifumi spoke out.

Yusuke gave her a peck on the cheek as passed her to set his items down. He asked why she returned early and she replied saying the women spoke of things that didn't interest her. She would much rather use her time to think of new strategies. 

"What about you?" She asks as she sets a piece down on the wooden board. 

Yusuke thought back to Futaba and her father. "What do you think about starting a family?"

 

**~ Afternoon ~**

 

Yuuki didn't really know how to spend his time whenever Goro told him he could "take a break." Normally at the mansion, he was always on his feet preparing Goro's schedule. Now, he just needed to wake him up and serve him breakfast. Since they're out in the middle of the ocean,  it was easy to keep track of things. 

Goro's life consisted of dining with others or locking himself away in his room. Yuuki was normally around him but he was granted freedom now. 

"You must be bored locked away in here with me." The male said as he flipped a  page in his book.

"No, not at all!" It wasn't that bad but he did catch himself nodding off.

Fast forward a couple minutes, Yuuki was walking around the promenade deck on his own. Goro insisted that he walk around a bit. He hand glided across the railing as he looked out into the sea. There really wasn't much for him to do but he enjoyed his stroll. 

He looked below to see the other passengers flooding the deck below. He wanted to return back to the room but it looked like everyone was having fun down below. He made his way over to the metal steps and made his way down. There were a lot of drunk men around. He maneuvered his way around and figured that was enough adventuring for one day 

"Hey, you!" Someone shouted. "You with the gray vest!"

Mishima gulped as he knew was the only one probably wearing a gray vest. He ignored the yelling as he tries to make a run for it to the stairs. That's when an arm wraps around his neck.

"I was talking to ya!" The man shouted.

Yuuki reached up to pry the man's arm off but he was far much stronger than him. The man reeked of alcohol and so did the men around him.

"How about you do us a favor and get us more drinks!" The man said.

Yuukie remained silent as he tries to wiggle out of his grasps. The man not pleased with his reaction slams Yuuking into the wall with such a force. The people around them stopped to look at the scene before them.

"Do you know who I am!?" The man shouted. "I'm Suguru Kamoshida!! The famous Olympian!" The man boasted proudly.

"Oh yeah?" A voice said behind them. "If you're so famous as you say. Then why are you down here with us? Guess you're not as famous as you say you are or else you'd be livin' it up in first-class." The man walked closer to them.

"What the fuck did you say!?" The man shouted.

"Come on, let him go." The blond says as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "Now." He says as he squeezes tighter. 

The man clicks his tongue as he shoves Yuuki to the side who stumbles to the ground. The man grumbles as he walks off with other man trailing behind him. The blond shakes his head as sighs. He looks down to the trembling stranger on the ground.

"Hey, you okay?" He says as he knelt down. He holds out his hand but the male hasn't noticed. "Yo!"

The male flinched as he looked over to his rescuer. "I'm...fine." His trembling hand reaches for his as he slowly gets back up to his feet. The blond surprised at how soft his hands are. His dark blue hair reminded him of Yusuke as well as his attire. _Cute..._ Was the first thing that came to his mind. He shook his head quickly as he gathered his thoughts.

"You gonna be okay?" The blond asks.

"Yes, thank you, Mr...." Yuuki's voiced trailed off as he took a better look at the man who saved him. He wore a plain white button-up shirt with brown trousers. He then noticed his arms with the sleeves rolled up.

"Ryuji Sakamoto." He replied.

"Mr. Sakamoto." Yuuki says.

"You can just call me Ryuji." He grins. "So what are you doing over on these parts of this ship?"

"I was just exploring." Yuuki really just wanted to leave but he couldn't be rude to the man who saved him. "Thank you again but I really must get going." The male then scurried off before he was roped into another conversation.

"Hey wait-!" Ryuji called out but a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Where the hell have you been?" Akira scolded.

"Wait a minute!" He freed himself from Akira but as he turned, the male was nowhere to be seen. "Where'd he go?"

"Who?" Kaoru says as he peeks over Ryuji's shoulder. 

"It's..." Ryuji groaned as he rubbed the back of his head. "It's nothing."

 

**~ Evening ~**

 

Goro stood next to his father as they walked around the luxurious restaurant greeting many important guests. A smile plastered on his face as he greeted each person. He looked over to see Haru sipping on her tea while talking to another young woman. It was the same women she ran away from. How he wished that he would be over there instead of being next to his loving father.

"Mr. Shido," Mr.Kobayakawa sauntered over to his father. "Good to see you again." He gave a quick greeting to Goro but directed his full attention to his father.

He could walk off and no one would notice or even care. He wanted his beloved butler to accompany him but he felt ill and retired early for the day. He wouldn't force him to do anything he didn't want to do so he let the male rest. He let out a loud sigh as he took a sip of the little wine he had in his glass. So deep in thought, he hadn't noticed that more men were surrounding them. Mr. Yoshida and Mr. Kaneshiro were already discussing future plans.

"Of course, my son Goro will be taking over once I've retired." His father said.

That caught him by surprise. Not once had his father mentioned him taking over, in fact, he said so himself that Goro wouldn't take over. He was promised that he could pick out his own career. 

"What?" He says almost in a whisper.

"Work hard, just like your father." Mr. Yoshida placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Father, wait!" Goro caught him before he entered another conversation. "What is the meaning of this? You said I wouldn't take over!"

"Goro, please." The man hissed. "Not right now."

"But you said-" He shrunk back as his father raised his voice.

"That's enough," The man says. "This discussion is over. You will do what you are told." He adjusted his jacket as he turns away. "You act more like your mother every day."

That was the last straw for Goro. He placed his wine glass down on the nearest as he turns away from the guests. "I need some fresh air." He didn't wait for anyone to call out to him. He stormed out of the room with his fist tightening. It was Haru who noticed Goro pushing his way through the crowd.

"Haru," Makoto looked in the direction she was looking. She managed to catch sight of the shaggy brown haired fellow storming out of the room. "What is it?"

"Goro?" Haru sat her cup down as she gathered her things. "I'm sorry but I must get going."

"Wait, let me come with you." The girl says as she follows Haru out of the room. It must be because of the male who left the room.

The night was lively with many guests but Goro couldn't hear anything. He's never felt so alone in a place filled with many people around him. He just wanted to get away from it all. Away from his father. Away from the life he was forced into. He just wanted it to be gone.

 

Akira was invited to go drinking by Ryuji and Iwai but he wanted some alone time. He hadn't seen that passenger ever since that day. He could still remember the outfit they wore. The lonely expression they had. He took a long drag of his cigarette and exhaled. He pulled his wool coat tighter around him to keep warm. He leaned against the railing as he looked out to the quiet sea. 

He had to find work as soon as they landed or else he's screwed. He hated working in restaurants and dealing with annoying customers. Being a bartender wasn't all too bad expect with dealing with raging drunks almost every night. He needed something new to dive into. 

Akira was so deep in thought that he almost missed the loud footsteps pass by him. He had to do a double take as he recognizes the figure walking towards the empty deck. Not a minute later two young females were walking around in search of someone. He definitely recognized the one with curly light auburn hair and watched as she went to a different path than the stranger from before. His feet moved on his own.  He followed them to the dark part of the deck.

 

Goro needed this cool sea breeze to him calm him down. He slammed his foot onto the bench making it drag across the floor. He gave it a couple more slams until it left marks on the ground. If anything gets damaged then his precious father can just pay for it.

"Fuck him!" He shouted, slamming his foot once more on the bench. "Whoa!" He lost his balance with that kick that he stumbled backward. His back hitting the cold metal railing while his hand reached out to grab anything. He slowly regained his posture as he turned around to face the other side. He looked down below to the rushing waters below. It was dark and he couldn't see anything but he knew he was high up.

His shaking hands gripped the railing and she squeezed his eyes shut. He placed one foot on top of the lower railing when a voice made him freeze in place.

"Hey..." The voice spoke out. "Don't do it."

Goro jumped back and turned to face the stranger. "What are you doing here?" He knew that was a dumb question to ask.

"I could ask you the same thing." He responded. "Shouldn't you be at a party or something." Akira took on last quick drag from his already tiny cigarette and tossed it over the railings. "Besides, I don't think I should leave you alone."

Goro looked at the frizzy-haired stranger before him. He didn't know how to respond to him. "I'm fine. Just leave me alone."

"Yeaaaaah, okay then." The male says as he leaned on the cold wall behind him. "And that loud screeching noise definitely wasn't from the bench you were kicking."

"Just what the hell do you want!?" Goro shouted in frustration.

"Hey, no need to get angry." Akira held up his hands. "I just don't want you to fling yourself over the ship."

"I-I wouldn't do something like that." He turned away from Akira. "Look, just go away. I'm fine on my own."

"How about you give up on this little childish act of yours." Akira held out his hand. "Let's go talk-"

"Enough!!" Goro shouted. "I've had enough of you all just barging into my life! Just leave me alone!"

"Look let's just talk over here and-" Akira once again interrupted by the angry male before him.

"Why the hell should I listen to you!?" Goro shouted. "This has nothing to do with you. You are free to leave if you want!"

"Look," Akira was getting irritated with his attitude. "I'm just trying to help."

"Well, I didn't ask for it!" He lashed out. "I didn't ask you to come and follow me here! Honestly, you're just getting on my damn nerves-" Goro couldn't finish his little tantrum as he felt the stinging on his cheek. 

"Oh, shit..." Akira's palm stinging from the impact. "I'm sorry. I didn't-" He didn't have time to finish his apology as Goro returned the favor.

"You asshole!" Akira grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled Goro towards him. "Here I am being a nice guy who's trying to help you!"

Goro retaliated but digging his heels into the ground as he shoved Akira away. "I never asked for **your** help!"

"There you go again!" Akira restored to using his fists as Goro just kept throwing punches. "Just take the help when someone is offering it to you!"

"Don't act like you know everything about me!"

With all the punching and shoving, Goro lost his footing and fell back, still clutching onto Akira's collar. The male was straddling him as he looked down to a panting Goro. He didn't look angry anymore, just miserable. He used his arms to cover his eyes as he wept. All the emotions that were bottled up spilled out over the deck.

"I'm just tired of everything..." He mumbled. "I'm just so sick of living like this."

"Hey," Akira slid his hand over the cheek he slapped moments ago. "It's going to be alright, okay?" He used his thumb to wipe the tears that were streaming down his face.

Goro slowly removed his arms to see the stranger on top of him. Why does it sound different coming from him? Yuuki tells him the same thing yet for some reason these same exact same words from a stranger is enough to move his heart. So much so he wanted to cry in his arms.

"How about I walk you back to your room?" Akira offered as he moves beside him now. "The name is Akira Kurusu."

"I'm not a girl..." He says in between sniffles. "I'm Goro Sh-" The name sounded bitter coming out of his mouth. "Akechi. My name is Goro Akechi." 

"Nice to meet you." Akira says as he takes the male's hand. Giving it one quick peck. Before he could register what happened, he could hear footsteps running rapidly towards them.

"Goro!" A high pitch voice called out.

"What the-" The stranger said beside her.

"Goro, what happened!?" The male says in a panic.

"I can ex-GAH!" Akira had no time as Makoto grabbed the male and slammed him against the wall. 

"Oh, you'll have enough time to explained locked down below."

"Wait, stop!" Goro Shouted. He grabbed Makoto's shoulder to stop her from doing any more harm to him. "He didn't do this."

"But you're hurt!" Haru says.

"Who did this then?" Yuuki looked as he was about to faint.

"I was being mugged and this gentleman saved me. He sacred him off."

"Really?" Makoto looked over to Goro then to Akira. "That really happened?"

He looked over to Goro who gave him a look. "He was tough..." Akira mumbled.

Makoto squinted her eyes for a minute before letting him go. "I'll have to make a report about this. Do you remember what he looked like at all?"

"No, I'm sorry. It was really dark." Goro rubbed his stinging cheek.

"You're a hero!" Haru grabbed Akira's hand and shook it excitedly. "You must come to dinner as a thank you for saving my fiancée!"

"Yes please," Goro insisted. "I would very much like to thank you."

"Sure...I'd love to." 

"Well, Mr. Kurusu thank you for saving the young master." Yuuki says cheerfully. "Please tell us all about it at dinner tomorrow."

"Good night, Akira." Goro smiled at the male before turning to walk away with the group.

"Good night...Goro..." He whispers. He couldn't believe he would be attending dinner with some rich folks. He had to tell Ryuji. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeey everyone! Looks like we got an update.  
> I'm so sorry for not updating as much. I've just been so busy!
> 
> Hope you're enjoying the story so far!


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